Heikki's Crash at the ROC

[countersteer]

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/ ... concussion

Was Heikki wearing a helmet during this competition?

I watched the video. Yea, it was a hard hit, but these guys walk away from far worse. I realize that the F1 safety cell is superior in every way to the Audi road car but...

[nacho]

My guess is that he knocked his head to the roll cage. There's not much giving in on the car or the barrier when hitting the concrete. A lighter barrier which would move a bit or give in would be better.

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Rear ender did him in.
One of the worst accidents as you cant see when the impact is going to occur.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRLCBI68xI8[/youtube]

[Belatti]

Why was Heikkis GF inside the car, too?

Who was with Loeb, then?

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

His mom?
Or a mannequin?

[mep]

Why was Heikkis GF inside the car, too?

Who was with Loeb, then?

Daniel Elena.



I wonder if the R8 gives a wrong feeling of safety.
I expect such a car to have a similar safety of a "real" race car but it seems that this is wrong.
I don't know what's the reason for the crash but it looks like he had one or two slightly touches of the walls and then the car just went out of control like something got broken. In my opinion nothing should break on such a car by just a slightly touch of a barrier.

[747heavy]

He did wear a helmet, but by the look of it, - but no "HANS", so that may contribute to his concussion.
The "hitting the roll cage/B-Pillar" comment from nacho is also very creditable-IMHO.

it looks like, to me, that the lower wishbone/outer joint broke on the RHS, this causing the oversteer/crash.
As the R8 chassis is basicly a Lamborghini Gallardo this is an cast aluminium part, but strong/good enough to be raced in GT3 (even on the Nürburgring Nordschaleife) for example.

Hitting the wall a couple of times before, may does not help.

[spinmastermic]

The throttle got stuck and the rear right suspension broke after hitting the wall, thats why the car veered left. The car stopping dead after hitting the wall is what smushed his brain.

[Tim.Wright]

He did wear a helmet, but by the look of it, - but no "HANS", so that may contribute to his concussion.

I don't think the HANS comes into action at all in a rearward impact. Only the headrest would act in this case.

tim

[chapmanlung]

well if his brain got smacked,,,,,then what about his girlfriend?

[Tim.Wright]

She suffered a hairline fracture of her pelvis and some muscle damage (formula1.com).

Her head would have been flung in the direction away from the roll structure/wall etc so the risk of a head injury for her would have been less.

tim

[747heavy]

He did wear a helmet, but by the look of it, - but no "HANS", so that may contribute to his concussion.

I don't think the HANS comes into action at all in a rearward impact. Only the headrest would act in this case.

tim

You have a point - agree with you,
but HANS would reduce the possible head movement to the side as well, a bit --> maybe keeping the head away from the oll cage/B-Pillar

[Gatecrasher]

The throttle got stuck and the rear right suspension broke after hitting the wall, thats why the car veered left. The car stopping dead after hitting the wall is what smushed his brain.

That would take 2 unconnected failures, suspension and throttle control, to happen instantaneously. I would agree with the comment that his right hand side rear suspension broke when he tapped the wall going down the straight as his final impact was at the rear to left quarter panel side of the car. What I do not understand was his speed entering the final corner, Loeb was ahead at the finish line and was still able to stop prior to the incident, it looked like the Finn was still accelerating, unless he thought he was a rally driver it did not look like he would make the corner with or without the rear end issue.

[mep]

So you stripe the barrier little bit causing the suspension to fail (ok possible) and the throttle to stuck (should definitely never happen).
Then the drivers head can hit the rollcage and the co breaks her Pelvis.
How could that even happen? What did she hit?

All this doesn't sound really safe for me. Not to forget that a customer will never wear a helmet when driving this car. What kind of injuries he could have suffered without the helmet?

it looks like, to me, that the lower wishbone/outer joint broke on the RHS, this causing the oversteer/crash.
As the R8 chassis is basicly a Lamborghini Gallardo this is an cast aluminium part, but strong/good enough to be raced in GT3 (even on the Nürburgring Nordschaleife) for example.

Maybe this part should be build of steel. Would be interesting to see pictures of the failed part or the design.

[Tim.Wright]

One one of the videos you can see the right rear toeing out about 10deg as he goes into the corner. My guess is it was a toe link or something on the hub. If it was a control arm the wheel would simply flopped out onto the deck.

Tim